Copa Libertadores: Football finally takes center stage as Boca & River prepare to meet in Madrid

The 2018 Copa Libertadores will reach a conclusion on Sunday when River Plate and Boca Juniors meet in Madrid, capping one of the most acrimonious and farcical sagas in the history of football.

When the bitter Buenos Aires rivals advanced to the final of South America’s biggest club competition, setting up a first-ever Superclasico showdown at this stage in the competition’s history, fireworks were expected.

But few would have predicted it would be so explosive as to force the concluding leg of the tie to be played out 6,000 miles away from Buenos Aires, across the Atlantic in Madrid.

How we reached this point has already filled thousands upon thousands of column inches around the world.

Following the thrilling 2-2 draw in the first leg at Boca Junior’s La Bombonera stadium on November 11, the denouement was perfectly set for the return fixture at River Plate’s El Monumental home two weeks later.

That game never happened, after shocking scenes that saw River fans attack the bus carrying Boca players to the stadium, injuring several of them while leaving others exposed to police tear gas fired to disperse the baying crowds.

Amid a maelstrom of indecision, anger and farce, the game was first delayed and then postponed, before eventually being moved to a different continent by the South American football confederation, CONMEBOL.

It will now take place at Real Madrid's iconic 80,000-seater Estadio Santiago Bernabeu home, which under any other circumstances would be a fine and fitting venue for one of football's grandest occasions.

Pablo Perez was a worry after suffering an eye injury in the bus attack that caused the postponement of the second leg, but is expected to be fit to start on Sunday on the left of midfield.

First-choice keeper Esteban Andrada is tipped to come in for Agustin Rossi after regaining fitness.

Head to head

The pair have met more than 200 times down the years in the Superclasico, with Boca ahead in the overall standings on 88 wins and River on 81.

Boca will be aiming for a lucky seventh Copa Libertadores title to put them level with fellow Argentine club Independiente on the all-time list, while River are out for a fourth title in all and first since 2015.